Incident reports received by the BHPA are available in summary form on this page. If you're looking for reports of formal investigations undertaken in the case of a serious incident, please visit our Incident Reports (formal investigations) page.
Incident reports for all wing types are displayed below in summary form.
The BHPA incident reports database is fully searchable. To refine your search you can specify a particular wing type and select "or" or "and". For example, if you want to search for paraglider incidents at Hay Bluff, for best search results select paraglider from the drop down list and the "and" option.
If available, total hours flown and hours flown in the previous six months are included below, with the latter displayed in brackets.
| Date |
Pilot |
Location |
Wing Type |
Summary |
Injury |
|
16.03.2018 |
Male
Age:
65
Rating:
P
Flying Experience:
20 years
500 hours
(60 hours)
|
Warren,
UK
Wind Strength:
10-15 km/h
Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent |
Paraglider
Wing:
Skywalk
Chili 3
Launch Type:
Foot |
Pilot encountered turbulence while making an approach to top land on clifftop site.
|
Minor Injuries |
|
15.03.2018 |
Male
Age:
55
Rating:
None aircraft mechanic
|
UK |
Powered PG |
Experienced Aircraft Mechanic completely unfamiliar with paramotoring decided to work at home on a friends paramotor. The engine was run without a safety cage but sitting on a small wood board. The engine suddenly reved up, started to lift and tilt releasing from the board. The mechanic was struck hard on the face diagonally with 2 strikes from the carbon prop that did eventually break.
|
Seriously Injured,
Head Injuries
|
|
13.03.2018 |
Male
Age:
62
Rating:
CP
Flying Experience:
6 years
10 hours
(10 hours)
|
Freathy,
UK
Wind Strength:
15-20 km/h
Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent |
Paraglider
Wing:
Advance
Epsilon 5
Launch Type:
Foot |
Pilot crash landed on rocks having got low while coastal soaring. Pilot hoped to find lift where he had found it previously on the flight but did not.
|
Unhurt |
|
13.03.2018 |
Male
Age:
58
Rating:
AP
Flying Experience:
16 years
600 hours
(6 hours)
|
Bradwell,
UK
Wind Strength:
15-20 km/h
Conditions:
Moderate,
Light Turbulence |
Paraglider
Wing:
Advance
Sigma 10
Launch Type:
Foot |
Pilot spun glider while thermalling. Glider stayed in deep stall possibly due to incorrect pilot input.
|
Minor Injuries |
|
11.03.2018 |
Male
Age:
54
Rating:
CP
Flying Experience:
39 years
150 hours
(12 hours)
|
Parlick East, Lancashire,
UK
Wind Strength:
20-25 km/h
Conditions:
Calm,
Light Turbulence |
Flexwing Hang Glider
Wing:
Avian
Rio 2
Launch Type:
Foot |
Pilot misjudged approach and was short of official landing field. In attempting to reach an adjacent field the pilot accidentally stalled the glider due to the wind gradient.
|
Seriously Injured,
Hands, Arms, Shoulder
|
|
11.03.2018 |
Male
Age:
55
Rating:
CP
Flying Experience:
6 years
|
Parlick Pike (East),
UK
Wind Strength:
25-30 km/h
Conditions:
Calm,
Light Turbulence |
Flexwing Hang Glider
Wing:
Avian
Rio
Launch Type:
Foot |
Pilot landed short in field adjacent to landing field but was also slightly crosswind. Left hand side of control frame struck the ground first causing the pilot to swing through.
|
Seriously Injured,
Hands, Arms, Shoulder
|
|
10.03.2018 |
Male
Age:
57
Rating:
AP
Flying Experience:
44 years
4000 hours
(25 hours)
|
Ringstead,
UK
Wind Strength:
30-35 km/h
Conditions:
Calm,
Light Turbulence |
Rigid Hang Glider
Wing:
AIR
VR+
Launch Type:
Foot |
While coastal soaring in strong and fluctuating winds pilot found himself in sinking air with limited safe landing options. Pilot landed on rocky area but was able to avoid injury by flaring hard and landing vertically.
|
Unhurt |
|
26.02.2018 |
Male
Age:
51
|
Rabou France,
France
Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h
Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent |
Paraglider
Wing:
Sky Paragliders
Atis 2
Launch Type:
Foot |
After a successful flight and landing the student was walking backwards as the wing was pulled by the wind as it fell behind him. He turned quickly to control the wing but twisted his knee whilst doing the turn. He fell over and was dragged 2 meters over snow before he regained control on the wing.
|
Minor Injuries,
Feet, Legs
|
|
18.02.2018 |
Male
Rating:
P
Flying Experience:
850 hours
|
Beachy Head,
UK
Wind Strength:
10-15 km/h
Conditions:
Calm,
Not Turbulent |
Paraglider
Wing:
Sky
Launch Type:
Foot |
Pilot was scratching low on sea cliffs when an asymmetric collapse caused pilot to drop onto the rocks. Pilot was rescued by coastguard.
|
Unhurt |
|
17.02.2018 |
Male
Age:
64
Rating:
CP
Flying Experience:
13 years
|
Woolacombe,
UK
Wind Strength:
5-10 km/h
Conditions:,
Not Turbulent |
Paraglider
Wing:
Airwave
Launch Type:
Foot |
Pilot was seen to be ridge soaring with parachute handle detached. Landed without incident
|
Unhurt |
|
Go to: Incident Reports (formal investigations)
|
|
Go to: Annual Incident Analysis Reports
|
